3 Clarinet Adjustments

This week on Live Tech-Tip Tuesday, we look at the 3 Clarinet Adjustments you can make on any clarinet. This is simple maintenance anyone can do in the classroom or studio and I’ll show you how.
Have a repair question you’d like answered? Just leave a comment, write me an email or DM me on Instagram @RepairMasterclass.
Learn to fix your own instrument with my Emergency Repair Guide. Full of step-by-step instructions, how-to videos and images, you can fix many emergency repairs yourself today. Get your copy at www.repairmasterclass.com
See you soon!
Video Time Marks
00:00 Intro
00:37 G#/A Screw
03:13 Bridge Key
06:14 Crow’s Foot
09:29 All other pads
10:45 Ask me a question
Music in this episode is by Podington Bear.

[@marshallee]

Thank you so much for this videos, you explain things very clearly. Also your video about the flute made me fix me cheap flute that couldn't play anything bellow low G.

[@joefogerty1884]

I've been playing for close to 35 years, so when a friend of mine asked me to take a look at a clarinet she bought for her son at a garage sale I agreed. The three issues you talk about in this video were EXACTLY the three things that needed tweaking on that clarinet. I knew I needed to bend some keys but was really nervous about it until I watched your video, not wanting to exacerbate the problem. Thanks for giving me the confidence to get that job done, he has a great sounding instrument now!

[@repairmasterclass]

Nicest thing anyone has ever said. Thanks. Let me know what questions you have and I'll do my best to answer them.

[@skousend]

Sounds like one of the easiest instruments to maintain that you have covered so far. Cool.

[@netomusic_br]

Nice tips, man! Thanks a lot! Greetings from Brazil!

[@grahamsound]

Nice, thanks!

[@Peter-jt5tt]

Omg thank you my clarinet has almost all the issues

[@Proximo011]

Thank you! Just bought a used clarinet yesterday and the linkage between the two were off (or got bent by me trying it yesterday) and I couldn't play the lower notes.... that worked like a charm

[@nigel8847]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[@Jaujau933]

Good tips thankyou 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@simcha100]

I bought an amazing clarinet for my student a new one and all is great beside the C key. when I saw how you fixed it but fulling up or down the part under the 4 keys I did so and it's now working super. Thank you a lot !!!

[@repairmasterclass]

Very glad to hear that! I'm glad this was useful to you. Enjoy the new clarinet.

[@simcha100]

@@repairmasterclass 🙂

[@Dizziesaxchick]

Well presented! Thank you.

[@repairmasterclass]

You are welcome!

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I came here because i KNEW how simple my repairs were on my clarinet (got from goodwill but its still in pretty great condition overall), and the store local to me refused repairs saying it wasn't worth it etc. My biggest fear is replacing pads myself, but the key adjustments are the exact ones i needed, especially that crows foot!

[@repairmasterclass]

Well, check out repairmasterclass.com for information on the courses we offer and I'll show you every step of the process to overhauling your own instrument. That said, your local store may be right... the costs of the needed repairs may exceed the value of the instrument and your money may be better spent on a new instrument rather than fixing what you have... I don't know without seeing it myself but I tell clients all the time to spend money on a new one rather than with me. Just sayin. Now, because your instrument needs some work, it would be a great one to do during class!

[@olufunmikeaderibigbe2561]

Thanks for this, I've been searching for something like this, the problem I have is with my A key, it's somehow blend lower than normal so when I press it, the sound is not full as other note, how can I adjust it?

[@repairmasterclass]

Ooo, great question! This needs to be it's own video; I'll let you know when that's out. In the mean time: When tone is not full, or fuzzy, it typically means the key is not opening far enough. In most cases, a little cork can be sanded from the key where the key makes contact with the body of the clarinet. REMEMBER, a little sanding goes a LONG way here so go slow. I cut a thin strip of 220 grit sand paper so I can slide it under the key cork and, while lightly pressing the key into the sand paper (the grit side toward the cork and NOT the body), pull the sand paper strip out to remove a bit of cork. Test the playability of the note and repeat as necessary. The advanced version of this is to bend the key but let's start slow and easy and just remove a bit of cork.

[@plzstandby1022]

@@repairmasterclass somewhat related question. I recently bought an Eb clarinet off of ebay (didnt expect it to be good) and the low B natural alternate fingering with the thin key is very airy and fuzzy. The thin key you press to play it is also very low, so the key isn't going that high. Do you have any tips for fixing/heightening that key?

[@repairmasterclass]

@@plzstandby1022 This one is more tricky and seems like you have keys that are very soft (easy to bend) and perhaps that were not made at the correct angles to begin with. You may need to bend keys here and this is VERY sketchy to do because soft keys break easily. It makes me VERY nervous to bend soft keys - to the point of typically advising the client to buy a better instrument. If I could see the issue, I'd be able to offer more and possibly better advise.

[@chrislewis6268]

I have an A key that is just dead, there is no tension. I removed the G# and the A key to examine the underside of the key. It has a tiny screw and an even smaller bracket. How long should this bracket be? It seems the bracket should have some tension on it, to hold the A down when not engaging the A or the G#. My bracket does not appear to be broken, but I cannot seem to get this one hole to seal. I replaced all of the pads and the cork, the rest of the instrument appears to be in a good shape. If I hold down the A key, I can easily play G, F, E, D, C on the upper register. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you! This instrument is really old, maybe from the late 1950's/early 60's - a Schreinber and Shone made in Germany. It does not appear to be made of natural wood, some type of resin or plastic?? Is it even worth trying to get it to play? THANKS!!!!!

[@repairmasterclass]

You can get anything to play no matter how old! That bracket like thing is a flat spring and is what should create the tension to keep the A key closed. What you need to do is, with the A key off the instrument, use a pair of flat or round nose pliers and increase the bend in that flat spring by turning it away from the key. You're only looking for a few millimeters of repositioning of the end (non-screw side) of the spring so this movement can be small, nothing serious here. Once done, put it back on the instrument and test for tension. If you need a bit more, remove it again and go a bit further; if it's too tight and difficult to work, you can do the opposite movement of the spring and reduce the tension (if you happen to overdo it). Be sure to check the A pad for even tension all the way around the pad - see my video on feeler gauges for more info here. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions.

[@oreogrillm.6551]

how to return tone ring holes when detached

[@karsthestar]

Do you know how I can fix my ring keys? They're higher up then normal, and it's affecting my high notes. The problem is mostly on the bottom.

[@repairmasterclass]

Sorry for my delay. If you place a block (ruler works, just something flat-ish and wider than the tone hole) under the pad and then press down ever so slightly on the rings you can bend them down. You'll only have to press on the first one and they'll all move up or down. Going back up is much more difficult so move slow and easy!

[@ericleavell2620]

My A is flat. What should I do?

[@bernards8050]

Gosh, you are so quick to bend keys - and you do not mention anything about cork that was possibly lost or compressed due to age and needs to be replaced with correct thickness. In my experience if keys are bent from their initial factory alignment, that will be visually evident. Keys are made to be really secure and have cork spacings to make the proper regulation.

[@repairmasterclass]

All true. I spend a LOT of time discussing how to bend keys, how to change, measure for and adjust corks, how to set regulations with cork and even various materials I think work better than natural cork (in most cases) all in my Repair Masterclass courses. See the web site for more information if you'd like. As for this video, yeah, 3 quick tips to get the job done before a concert starts. What tips do you have for clarinet players?

[@danhoenigman2757]

I’ll give you the A-Ab adj screw. But the bridge and crow foot adjustments are totally irresponsible to show one KZbin. The techniques you show are down right wrong! After 44 years in the repair trade I can’t tell you how many clarinets came across my bench with major problems because some tried the techniques you show. Broken bridge keys and plague keys so bent out of shape they were hard to correct. And you didn’t even address lost motion. An irresponsible video!

[@repairmasterclass]

Well I don't have 44 years in the trade, only 27, but I do have confidence in people to not screw things up. Sorry you disagree. If you feel like offering a better explanation on how to fix these issues, I'm wide open to it.

[@danhoenigman2757]

You have to realize who has access to your videos. Professional musicians, teachers, college students, high school students, junior high students and dads with a pair of pliers. All of which should not be doing repairs. I made a lot of money over my career fixing the mistakes of all of the above. Let’s keep our trade a true trade instead of teaching armatures to screw up!@@repairmasterclass

[@adenoidhinkel34]

Никогда не срмневался в поверхности и профанации американских "специалистов". Видел много "работ"из разных штатов. Это днище,годящееся только для дилетантов с лопатой. Те кому нужен достойный ремон могут его осуществить только в Европе.

[@repairmasterclass]

I appreciate your feedback and hope you understand the intent of the video: helping a player get back on stage quickly. If you'd like to dive really deep into instrument repair and learn every aspect of the process, including step-by-step procedures of the overhaul process and how to really use "a shovel", then check out the Clarinet Masterclass course found on our site.